Workers 20 years of age and older benefit most from proposed hike to federal minimum wage

Three years after the most recent increase in the federal minimum wage, proposals have emerged in both the House and Senate to increase the federal minimum wage to $9.80 by July 1, 2014. Such an increase would significantly help lower-income workers at a time when their wages have stagnated due (in part) to the lingering effects of the recession and a very tentative economic recovery. Forthcoming EPI research shows that those benefiting from a minimum wage increase are older than generally believed.

As seen in the figure below, 87.9 percent of those affected nationally by increasing the federal minimum wage to $9.80 are 20 years of age and older. The share of those affected who are 20 or older varies by state, from a low of 77.1 percent in Massachusetts to a high of 92.4 percent in Florida (and 93.9 percent in the District of Columbia).

Some minimum-wage workers are younger workers, perhaps saving for college or even contributing to their family expenses, but most minimum wage workers are 20 or older. Additionally, more than a third (35.8 percent) are married, and over a quarter (28.0 percent) are parents. For American families struggling to make ends meet, raising the minimum wage will make a significant difference. Moreover, 21 million children have a parent who will see an increase in their pay as a result of increasing the minimum wage.

Share of workers affected by increasing the federal minimum wage to $9.80 over the age of 20, by state

District of Columbia

93.9%

Florida

92.4%

North Carolina

92.0%

California

91.9%

Hawaii

91.7%

Tennessee

91.6%

Georgia

90.9%

Texas

90.7%

South Carolina

90.3%

West Virginia

89.9%

New York

89.7%

Louisiana

89.7%

Kentucky

89.7%

Arkansas

89.6%

Oklahoma

89.5%

Alabama

89.0%

Mississippi

88.8%

Idaho

88.6%

Arizona

88.5%

New Mexico

88.4%

Nevada

88.3%

Illinois

88.0%

United States

87.9%

New Jersey

87.4%

Missouri

86.9%

Montana

86.6%

Utah

86.5%

Indiana

86.5%

Virginia

86.3%

Washington

85.8%

Maryland

85.8%

Michigan

85.5%

Oregon

85.4%

South Dakota

85.3%

Ohio

84.8%

Kansas

84.5%

Delaware

84.4%

Colorado

84.2%

Rhode Island

83.4%

Vermont

82.7%

Wisconsin

82.6%

Wyoming

82.5%

Connecticut

81.9%

Iowa

81.3%

Maine

81.1%

Pennsylvania

81.0%

Nebraska

80.0%

New Hampshire

78.7%

Alaska

78.7%

North Dakota

78.2%

Minnesota

78.0%

Massachusetts

77.1%

Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey – outgoing rotation group data

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EPI is an independent, nonprofit think tank that researches the impact of economic trends and policies on working people in the United States. EPI’s research helps policymakers, opinion leaders, advocates, journalists, and the public understand the bread-and-butter issues affecting ordinary Americans.